Photopolymer-based additive manufacturing processes such as stereolithography (SLA) offer high precision and surface quality but generate cured thermoset waste that is typically non-recyclable. In microgravity environments, conventional recycling approaches—based on gravitational settling, open solvent handling, and buoyancy-driven degassing—are ineffective, motivating the development of fully contained, gravity-independent material recovery systems for on-orbit manufacturing. This work presents a conceptual, design-stage closed-loop system architecture for recycling photopolymer resins in microgravity. The system integrates eight subassemblies enabling mechanical fragmentation, solvent-assisted dissolution, filtration, low-pressure degassing, pressurized storage, injection molding, and ultraviolet curing. A hermetically sealed dual-screw shredder produces resin fragments of 1–3 mm, suitable for dissolution. Gas removal is achieved through low-vacuum degassing at approximately 0.1–0.3 bar, with characteristic residence times of 5–10 min, ensuring stable processing prior to injection. Material transport is governed by mechanical conveyance and controlled pressure, eliminating reliance on gravity. The architecture maintains full containment of solids, liquids, and vapors throughout the process. Supported by engineering design considerations, the system establishes a microgravity-compatible pathway for closed-loop recycling of SLA materials. Experimental validation is planned in future work.
Prisăcariu et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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